Not wanting to lose the precious memory of the city he grew up in, Macau designer Him Hong decided to open up a store and bring back the simplicity and leisure of the old days. The three-storey concept store “The Grey Green”, surrounded by high-rise commercial offices and shopping malls in the heart of the city, stands like an oasis, offering a breeze of fresh air to busy city dwellers.
“I was born and raised in Macao. In the first twenty some years of my life, Macau had remained very much the same – a small, comfortable city, with close-knit relationships among people. But since the liberalisation of the gaming industry, the city has undergone tremendous changes, which makes me feel that Macao is becoming a strange and distant place,” Hong recalls.
Yet it was during the years when he lived outside Macao that he realised his strong attachment to the city. An occasional visit to the famous Flower Market in Hong Kong inspired him to centre on flowers and plants in his recreated hometown. “I want to recreate the aura of tranquillity and elegance in this space, in sharp contrast with the glittering gaming capital we see now.”
Stepping into the store, one is immediately immersed in the jungle of blooms and scents. The Grey Green offers bouquets and flower arrangements with sober colours and natural styles, unlike those commonly seen on the market. Most of the fresh flowers and pot plants are directly purchased from a local flower nursery run by a couple in their seventies, who in the eyes of Hong are the perfect Macao love story.
Preserved flower boxes are also popular among customers. “Flowers from Japan —not too brightly coloured and with lingering charm — are specially treated and put into semicircular brass containers. Brass gets marks on the surface very easily, which may seem like a flaw, but we cherish it for the human touch. As for the design of the boxes, we were inspired by Louis Vuitton’s stunningly graceful vintage box bags, which I’m really fond of. The leather parts are handmade by Taiwanese craftsmen to create a minimalistic impression, and we have a Macao lettering artist that can write bespoke messages for guests,” the founder says proudly.
In addition to the eye-pleasing floral products, customers can also take a sip of herbal tea and enjoy the signature dessert, “Maltmory”, coined from “malt” and “memory”. It is a delicious combination of the traditional malt sugar made by Uncle Kei — “the collective memory of generations of Macao residents” — and crispy cookies, dried fruits, rose and lavender petals.
“Looking out of the floor-to-ceiling window, you see the heavy traffic, the massive flow of locals and tourists. But once you sit down, the gentle aroma, the soothing background music, and the beautifully arranged flowers and artifacts immediately envelop you. You’ll feel very different gazing at our city from this perspective,” Hong smiles.
Stepping into the store, one is immediately immersed in the jungle of blooms and scents. The Grey Green offers bouquets and flower arrangements with sober colours and natural styles, unlike those commonly seen on the market. Most of the fresh flowers and pot plants are directly purchased from a local flower nursery run by a couple in their seventies, who in the eyes of Hong are the perfect Macao love story.
Preserved flower boxes are also popular among customers. “Flowers from Japan —not too brightly coloured and with lingering charm — are specially treated and put into semicircular brass containers. Brass gets marks on the surface very easily, which may seem like a flaw, but we cherish it for the human touch. As for the design of the boxes, we were inspired by Louis Vuitton’s stunningly graceful vintage box bags, which I’m really fond of. The leather parts are handmade by Taiwanese craftsmen to create a minimalistic impression, and we have a Macao lettering artist that can write bespoke messages for guests,” the founder says proudly.
In addition to the eye-pleasing floral products, customers can also take a sip of herbal tea and enjoy the signature dessert, “Maltmory”, coined from “malt” and “memory”. It is a delicious combination of the traditional malt sugar made by Uncle Kei — “the collective memory of generations of Macao residents” — and crispy cookies, dried fruits, rose and lavender petals.
“Looking out of the floor-to-ceiling window, you see the heavy traffic, the massive flow of locals and tourists. But once you sit down, the gentle aroma, the soothing background music, and the beautifully arranged flowers and artifacts immediately envelop you. You’ll feel very different gazing at our city from this perspective,” Hong smiles.